This invention relates to a dock leveler, and more particularly to a dock leveler having an inflatable member for moving the dock leveler ramp from a lowered position to a raised position in response to selective inflation of the inflatable member.
Recent developments in dock levelers have involved placing an inflatable member, such as in the form of an airbag, below the ramp of the dock leveler for moving the ramp to its raised position from its lowered position in response to inflation of the airbag. The assignee of the present application is the owner of several pending applications directed to airbag-operated dock levelers, as follows: Ser. No. 08/131,981 filed Oct. 4, 1993 and entitled "Bag Construction For A Dock Leveler"; Ser. No. 08/250,650 filed May 27, 1994 and entitled "Dock Leveler Incorporating An Inflatable Bag"; Ser. No. 08/131,983 filed Oct. 4, 1993 and entitled "Improved Support And Attachment Mechanism For A Dock Leveler Lift Bag"; and Ser. No. 08/131,988 filed Oct. 4, 1993 and entitled "Support Mechanism For A Dock Leveler Lift Bag".
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved arrangement for removably mounting an inflatable member, such as an airbag, to a mounting surface associated with a dock leveler. It is a further object of the invention to provide an inflatable member retaining system which is simple in its components and construction, yet which provides highly satisfactory and advantageous mounting of the inflatable member to the mounting surface. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an inflatable member mounting arrangement which involves relatively slight modifications to known construction of an inflatable member such as an airbag. A still further object of the invention is to provide a unique method of constructing an inflatable member which facilitates mounting of the inflatable member to a mounting surface.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a mounting arrangement for the inflatable member of a dock leveler includes a longitudinal seal formed between a pair of walls of the inflatable member for defining a boundary of an internal cavity of the inflatable member, which receives air therewithin to inflate the inflatable member. The inflatable member walls are preferably defined by sheet-like members, each of which includes external portions located exteriorly or outwardly of the seal from the internal cavity. The external portions of the sheet-like members overlie each other, and cooperate to define an external tab or flap forming an extension of the inflatable member exteriorly of the internal cavity. A clamping arrangement is engageable with the external flap defined by the inflatable member and with an inflatable member mounting surface of the dock leveler, for clamping the flap to the inflatable member mounting surface, to mount the inflatable member thereto. A rod-like member is secured to the external flap of the inflatable member, and is located outwardly of the seal. The clamping arrangement advantageously includes a longitudinal clamp bar having a clamping surface engageable with the flap at or outwardly of the seal, and the rod-like member is located outwardly of the clamping surface. The clamp bar includes a recess within which the rod-like member is received along with portions of the flap wrapped about the rod-like member, between the clamp bar and the inflatable member mounting surface. One or more threaded members are engageable with the clamp bar and with structure defining the inflatable member mounting surface, for use in selectively moving the clamping surface into clamping engagement with the external flap of the inflatable member. The clamping arrangement further includes a spacer member engageable with the inflatable member mounting surface for spacing the clamp bar thereabove. The one or more threaded members are located between the spacer member and the clamping surface, so that the spacer member functions as a fulcrum to tighten the clamping member. The rod-like member is secured to the external flap by wrapping the flap about the rod-like member. The flap is then preferably bonded to the inflatable member walls inwardly of the rod-like member to capture the rod-like member.
The invention further contemplates a method of forming an inflatable member by placing a pair of sheet-like members in overlying relation, bonding the sheet-like members together to define an edge of an internal cavity between the sheet-like members such that external portions of the sheet-like members define a flap located outwardly of the edge, and wrapping the flap about the elongated rod-like member. The step of wrapping the flap about the elongated rod-like member is carried out by placing the rod-like member on the flap, and folding the flap about the rod-like member such that the flap overlies the bonded area of the sheet-like members. As summarized above, the inflatable member can then be secured to an inflatable member mounting surface, such as a surface associated with a dock leveler.
The invention further contemplates a method of securing an inflatable member to an inflatable member mounting surface of a dock leveler, substantially in accordance with the foregoing summary, and also contemplates a dock leveler incorporating an inflatable member mounted to an inflatable member mounting surface, as summarized above.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.